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Using a collectible

While headed to Dalton Ga. To attend the Knife Roadshow Donnie and I had a rather lengthy discussion on User verses Collector. Not people but our own knives. I recently acquired a knife that he felt should have remained a collector but I had promised to use it and do.

This sparked in me the need for him to use a knife we would normally have admired until it made its way to the safe. I knew there was no chance of my getting him to take one out of the safe to use so it had to be new. With JBF Champlin getting ready to send out their newest offering I saw a glimmer of hope. A stag Eureka Jack was added to our order and a new discussion began! The coping blade finally won the discussion for me.

Description: Eureka Jack

Main Blade: Spear Point with half stop

Secondary Blade: Coping with half stop

Steel: 1095 Carbon Steel

Length: 3 5/8”

Handle Material: Stag

Well, the Champlin went to work!

Although it did come out of the box sharp a slightly finer edge needed to be done for the work that was happening this week.

The knife performed excellent while it did a number of different tasks. The coping blade was used to make short work of some back cuts on shoe molding and door casing material.

While the main blade was long enough to get to a few areas that were too deep for the coping blade to reach. The spear point performs well because of the round, the knife will allow you to roll forward and makes the cut easier than a wharncliff would do. It gets into the crevices of a pocket door and handles perfect.

While the knife could be considered bigger than some you would carry for work, the weight is easy on the pocket and it rides well, without any snagging or tugging.

The fit in the hand is no less than custom comfort. The swell center has just enough low area at the back to have it sit in the hand with no pressure points. While the length brings the bolster right onto the front of your hand, making it very easy to use for an entire day without wearing your hand out

No play, no wiggle and held a great edge all week. A minor touch up with a strop and it is ready to go for the next day. No blade rub. All in all, with a 1-10 scale the knife is a 9.5 in his eyes. The 0.5 from a 10? The coping blade is not dead on center, nothing major and it open/closes without touching the frame or rubbing

Tags: Carter, Champlin, Don, JBF, Review, Using, a, collectible

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In MemoriamPermalink Reply by Robert Burris on March 30, 2013 at 15:59

The Champlin looks like a great little knife. I have the same internal fight sometimes about a knife as a user. I have bought knives and swore that they were to be users but after getting them and appreciating their quality, I could not bring myself to use them.

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Permalink Reply by Derek Smith on March 30, 2013 at 16:18

That's a nice little review, thanks for taking time to put that down on paper for the rest of us.

I also wanted to compliment you on including the cute pink toes in the photos!

And yes, like Robert and many others, I have several knives that I would like to use, but just can't quite bring myself to put one in my pocket as I head out the door in the morning.

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Permalink Reply by J.J. Smith III on March 30, 2013 at 17:49

I'm with Robert here. Have too many knives that I bought with the intention to use, but wound up putting it up.
There's always another solution though, buy 2. That's what I'VE did with the last couple of club knives I got. Got great users, with extra class, and also increased the value of the remaining "mint in box" knives.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on March 30, 2013 at 20:05

There you go...knife strategy...I like it! The way knives are going it's a good investment too!

J.J. Smith III said:

I'm with Robert here. Have too many knives that I bought with the intention to use, but wound up putting it up.
There's always another solution though, buy 2. That's what I'VE did with the last couple of club knives I got. Got great users, with extra class, and also increased the value of the remaining "mint in box" knives.

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on March 31, 2013 at 1:24

Good review!

If I really like a knife, and I really want to use it.....I use it! But then I want one for the collection. Oh well.

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Permalink Reply by Jan Carter on March 31, 2013 at 7:40

So very right! This one was separate from the set just so I could have a minor chance of getting him to use it LOL. Now I cant get him to put it back on the users table!!! I am insisting he use one of the Tuna Moose next week, We need a review of that also. Wish me luck

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Craig Henry on March 31, 2013 at 16:25

Good luck! LOL!

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FeaturedPermalink Reply by Charles Sample on March 31, 2013 at 19:59

It wouldn't hurt me to use most of my 100+ knives because they aren't really collectible. They are inexpensive and mainly I bought them as souvenirs of places I visited or just because something about them caught my eye. I do have some knives that I will not use. Three of my five Case knives will never be used. My grandmothers little knife she got at the 1904 World's Fair will never be used by me. I do have two Case knives that I use. A Mini Blackhorn is my EDC and I also have a Case Caliber that I use. Although it is an expensive knife (to me anyway), I use my Buck Omni Hunter. If my memory serves me right, I paid about $80 for it.

I will say that most of my knives will probably not be used by me. It is not that I have any aversion to doing it, I just don't have any particular reason to use them. I have six to eight knives that will handle all the cutting chores I envision me ever doing.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Hanner on April 1, 2013 at 21:42

It sure does look like a very sturdy little knife, sometimes that's all it takes to keep holding on to it!

Jan Carter said:

So very right! This one was separate from the set just so I could have a minor chance of getting him to use it LOL. Now I cant get him to put it back on the users table!!! I am insisting he use one of the Tuna Moose next week, We need a review of that also. Wish me luck

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Permalink Reply by Indian on April 14, 2013 at 13:57

This is a great topic...I buy knives that I like or appeals to me....some I buy for users others I buy for the resale value...to use a colectible though...Well i love my litte George Herron with rosewood handles and it is comfy in the hand...really a pleasure to use. But for my real heavy use knives...I enjoy my my Doziers...some are for the collection and others are for using.

Overall I think it is up to the individual whether or not it is Classified as a User or Collectible....just enjoy it!

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Permalink Reply by Alexander Noot on April 19, 2013 at 8:15

So far there's only one knife that I haven't dared touch to the sharpening stone yet. And I think it'll remain that way for a while.

My favourite user/collectable is my A.G. Russell One hand knife in Damascus/Cowry-X

And I'm not regretting using this one. Took me a while to decide for using it. But it's an awesome knife.

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Permalink Reply by Brad T. on April 22, 2013 at 11:34

I agree, some knives you buy with no intention of using and you actually never use it for more than opening letters. But then there are the high dollar Ltd Editions you buy that you can't help but want to use. That for me is my 2012 Benchmade 940-121 Osborne Gold Class. CPM M4 blade w/Cerakote finish can take any punishment so opening boxes & prying open small crates doesn't bother me. After all, It was "A deal I couldn't pass up" type of knife. My 940-121 is a working piece of pocket jewelry.